Isaiah 18
Commentary from 4 fathers
He sends messengers by the sea, and paper letters on the water: for swift messengers shall go to a lofty nation, and to a strange and harsh people. Who is beyond it? a nation not looked for, and trodden down.
ὁ ἀποστέλλων ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὅμηρα καὶ ἐπιστολὰς βιβλίνας ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος· πορεύσονται γὰρ ἄγγελοι κοῦφοι πρὸς ἔθνος μετέωρον καὶ ξένον λαὸν καὶ χαλεπόν, τίς αὐτοῦ ἐπέκεινα; ἔθνος ἀνέλπιστον καὶ καταπεπατημένον.
Посыла́ѧй по мо́рю послы̀ въ зало́гъ и҆ посла̑нїѧ кни̑жнаѧ верхꙋ̀ воды̀: по́йдꙋтъ бо вѣ̑стницы ле́гцы ко ꙗ҆зы́кꙋ высо́кꙋ и҆ къ лю́демъ стра̑ннымъ и҆ стрѡпти́вымъ. Кто̀ да́лѣе и҆́хъ; ꙗ҆зы́къ безнаде́женъ и҆ попра́нъ.
(Verse 2.) He who sends envoys to the sea, and in papyrus vessels on the waters. Go, swift angels, to a nation torn and ravaged, to a fearsome people after whom there is no other, to a nation waiting and trampled, whose rivers they have plundered. Among the Hebrews and Egyptians and the Egyptians themselves and the Egyptians, they are called by one name, Mesraim. This saying is have, so that no one may get stuck on the word, when they find a masculine word for a feminine gender, that is, for land a man, because even now it is said: He who sends envoys to the sea, that is, Mesraim itself, the Egyptian himself, because from Alexandria, which was then, as I said, called No, envoys were sent to Jerusalem and in papyrus vessels, that is, in letters, or ships, promising their help to them, saying: Go swiftly to the torn people of the Jews, and torn by the assault of the Assyrians; to the people once fearsome, who wielded the command of God, to whose power no one else can be compared: to a nation that always awaited the help of God, and yet is trampled by men: whose land rivers, that is, different kings, have ravaged. Others, however, think that the apostrophe is directed to the Lord, and the meaning is: O God, who sends prophets into the sea of this world, and like sailors through letters, warns the people, commanding them with your messages: go quickly to my torn and convulsed people, to the strongest people, who once terrified all nations around, who always waited for God's help, and because of the greatness of their sins, which they hope for, they do not deserve to receive it: whose land was ravaged by the kings of various nations, and so on. Eusebius of Caesarea, promising a historical interpretation in the title, wanders off into various meanings, so that when I read his books, I found something entirely different from what the index promised. Wherever he runs out of history, he moves on to allegory, and in this way he combines things that are separate, so that I marvel at his skill in joining together new elements of language into one unity of stone and iron. I mention this briefly, so that no one thinks that we have borrowed what we say from his sources; for even in the present chapter, he says that prophecy is directed against the Jews and Jerusalem, because at the beginning of the Christian faith they sent letters to all the nations, urging them not to accept the passion of Christ; and they sent letters even to Ethiopia and the Western regions, and with the dissemination of this blasphemy they have filled the whole world.
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 2) Therefore, these people across the rivers of Ethiopia are sending messengers into the sea of this world, that is, their disciples, who are said to carry their volumes, rightly called papyrus vessels, that is, papers carried on the water, which are quickly erased. For just as books are quickly obscured and destroyed by water and moisture, so too their message and teaching, once it appears to possess some strength in the beginning, passes away and slips away. Therefore, through irony, it is said to them: O Angels of heretics, go quickly. These false apostles, deceitful workers, who transform themselves into apostles of Christ, are referred to as such by the blessed apostle Paul (2 Cor. XI). And go to the nation torn and ravaged: torn from God and torn apart by the bites of heretics. To a horrible people; for there is nothing more horrible than blasphemy, which lifts up its own mouth in arrogance. After which there is no other people; for every sin when compared to blasphemy is lighter. A people waiting, waiting, and trampled upon. For all heretics promise themselves celestial things, and they promise great things, and yet they are trampled upon by demons. Whose land the rivers have plundered, which do not have waters from the sky, but from the earth. For what corner is there, what remote wilderness of the earth, to which the polluted speech of heretics does not reach?
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 2) And it is said about their teaching and their language: You who send books of this age into the sea, the hostages of your perversity, and letters to deceive those who will read them. The swift messengers go to the high and foreign people, and the most wicked. For no ecclesiastics have so much zeal for good as heretics have for evil, and they believe they will gain advantage by deceiving others and destroying those who are already doomed. But this people is called exalted because of their pride: and foreign and wicked because they are estranged from God.
Commentary on Isaiah
Second, he describes the help which they promised to the two tribes. And first, he describes the manner of announcing, saying: they that, namely, the Egyptian people, sends ambassadors, that is, messengers, to the two tribes, in the sea, that is, through the sea, and upon the waters, of the river or the sea, in vessels of papyrus, a kind of rush, from which they made small boxes for carrying letters, or reeds so large that they made ships from them, as is written in the history of Alexander: the word comes from pyr, which means "fire."
Second, he sets out the command given to the ambassadors, in which he determines two things. First, the manner of announcing, saying: O angels, that is, O my messengers, go, swift, that is, swiftly. Second, the motive: to a nation, namely, the nation of the two tribes, which he shows to be miserable from four things. First, from the magnitude of their affliction: rent, from its proper strength by subjugation, and torn in pieces, by affliction of punishment. Second, from its former dignity: a terrible people, formerly, after which there is no other, to be compared in power, but now, expecting, foreign help, trodden underfoot, as though reduced to baseness. Third, from the power or iniquity of its enemies: whose land the rivers, the kings of Assyria, have spoiled, unjustly. Fourth, from the holiness of the place: to the mountain. And they were punished because they drew them away from the worship of God: they shall be no more a confidence to the house of Israel (Ezek 29:16).
Commentary on Isaiah
Now all the rivers of the land shall be inhabited as an inhabited country; their land shall be as when a signal is raised from a mountain; it shall be audible as the sound of a trumpet.
νῦν οἱ ποταμοὶ τῆς γῆς πάντες ὡς χώρα κατοικουμένη· κατοικηθήσεται ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ σημεῖον ἀπὸ ὄρους ἀρθῇ, ὡς σάλπιγγος φωνὴ ἀκουστὸν ἔσται.
Нн҃ѣ рѣ́ки зємны́ѧ всѧ̑ а҆́ки страна̀ населе́на насели́тсѧ, страна̀ и҆́хъ а҆́ки зна́менїе ѿ горы̀ воздви́гнетсѧ, а҆́ки гла́съ трꙋбы̀ ᲂу҆слы́шанъ бꙋ́детъ.
(Verse 3.) All the inhabitants of the world who dwell on the earth, when the signal is raised on the mountains, you will see and hear the sound of the trumpet. All the nations, he says, around, when you hear my command, like a signal raised on the mountains, and my authority, like the sound of a triumphantly resounding trumpet, then you will see what I have ordered.
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 3) Therefore, all who dwell and live in the world, lift up their eyes to the sign of the heretics, which is raised as if on mountains, and they hear the sound of the trumpet, that is, their teaching.
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 3) Truly a people without hope, and oppressed, whose rivers throughout the whole earth imitate the dwelling of the Church, so that they may find for themselves a home and a region, in which they may raise the sign of their teaching, in which they may sound the trumpet of the Scriptures.
Commentary on Isaiah
All you inhabitants of the world. Here he threatens the punishment, and concerning this, he does two things. First, he shows the manifestation of the punishment: you shall see, that is, it will be known to you, the sign, the flag of Nabuchodonosor: the nations have heard of your disgrace, and your howling has filled the land (Jer 46:12); or, you shall see the abundance of the enemy, appearing in his army: the strongest of nations, shall be brought to destroy the land (Ezek 3:11).
Commentary on Isaiah
For thus said the Lord to me, There shall be security in my city, as the light of noonday heat, and it shall be as a cloud of dew in the day of harvest.
διότι οὕτως εἶπέ μοι Κύριος· ἀσφάλεια ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἐμῇ πόλει ὡς φῶς καύματος μεσημβρίας, καὶ ὡς νεφέλη δρόσου ἡμέρας ἀμήτου ἔσται.
Ꙗ҆́кѡ та́кѡ мѝ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь: ᲂу҆твержде́нїе бꙋ́детъ въ мое́мъ гра́дѣ, а҆́ки свѣ́тъ зно́ѧ полꙋ́деннагѡ и҆ а҆́ки ѡ҆́блакъ ро́сный въ де́нь жа́твы бꙋ́детъ.
4–7(Vs. 4 and following) Because this is what the Lord says to me, I will rest and observe in my place: just as the bright midday light is, and like the clouds of dew in the day of harvest. Before the harvest, the whole field has blossomed, and the immature perfection will sprout, and its branches will be cut off by the sickle: and what has been left behind will be cut off, shaken off. And they will be left to the birds of the mountains, and to the animals of the earth, and in perpetual summer, birds will be above it, and all the animals of the earth will winter over it. In that time the gift of the Lord of hosts will be brought by the scattered and torn people, by the dreadful and desecrated people, by the waiting and trampled people, whose rivers they have plundered, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, Mount Zion. God rests and contemplates in His place, or near the Eagle, in the firmament, that is, in the Church, of which the Apostle Paul speaks: Pillar and foundation of truth (I Tim. III, 15). But the things that happen in the Church are contemplated; and just as the clear midday light illuminates everything, so it surveys the whole: according to what is said in the eighteenth Psalm in the mystical sense about the sun of justice: There is none that can hide himself from its heat. And just as the clouds of dew in the day of harvest, and in the scorching heat of summer are most welcome, so the Lord refreshes the inhabitants of His Church, in whose presence all things flourish. And before the time of consummation comes, because now we know in part and we prophesy in part, many perfect ones will be found, of whom the Apostle speaks: As many as are perfect, let us think this way (I Cor. XIII; Phil. III, 15). But the useless branches will be cut off by the sickles, as the Savior says in the Gospel: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he will take it away; and every branch that bears fruit, he will prune it, that it may bear more fruit (John XV, 2). And those things which have been cut off will be left for the birds of the mountains and the beasts of the earth. For the birds, which are sown along the way, will be preyed upon, and for the beasts, to whom the soul is delivered, not confessing God, so that he who has been cut off and rejected by the Lord, and separated from his body, which is the Church, may find his dwelling among birds and beasts both in summer and winter, that is, in prosperity and adversity. And just as those who are useless and unfruitful in the Church are pruned and cast out, lest a little yeast corrupt the whole mass: so, on the contrary, it can happen that those who were deceived by heretical error, and torn away from the Lord and lacerated, and terrifying for their blasphemy, and waiting in vain for lies, and trampled by demons, and scattered in various parts by rivers, when they have remembered their God, and have abandoned their many teachers, offer a gift to the Lord of hosts, nowhere else but on Mount Zion, and in the watchtower, which is interpreted as the Church. We will be brief, because we have already discussed many things in the book of historical explanation.
Commentary on Isaiah
(Verse 4) Because this is what the Lord said to me: I will rest, and I will consider in my place. What is it that the Lord said to the Prophet? This is what follows: until what I have commanded comes, I will rest in my seat: as the Jews believe, in the Temple; as we believe, in heaven. And I will consider, he says, the coming of the end of things.
Just as the midday light is bright, and just as the morning mist is in the day of harvest. Just as in the whole day nothing is brighter than midday, when the sun shines from the middle of the sky, and equally illuminates the whole world, and just as in the heat and hot air, when the naked harvester is scorched, and the magnitude of the labor tests his breath, the temperate dew is most pleasing, if the morning moisture makes the dry stalks cuttable: in the same way, my speech, which I will consider in my place, will come gratefully to all who believe in me.
Commentary on Isaiah
Second, he takes away their confidence in divine defense: for thus says the Lord. And first, because he takes away the help of his defense from them: I will take my rest, as though not helping you; and consider, I will see what you can do: I will consider what their last end shall be (Deut 32:20). Second, because he will give help to the enemy in fighting, as to counsel in doubtful things: as the noon light is clear, so clearly will what they should do be shown to them; as to relief in labors, as a cloud: you have set up the right hand of them that oppress him (Ps 88:43[89:42]).
Commentary on Isaiah
Before the reaping time, when the flower has been completely formed, and the unripe grape has put forth its flower and blossomed, then shall he take away the little clusters with pruning-hooks, and shall take away the small branches, and cut them off;
πρὸ τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅταν συντελεσθῇ ἄνθος καὶ ὄμφαξ ἐξανθήσῃ ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα, καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὰ βοτρύδια τὰ μικρὰ τοῖς δρεπάνοις καὶ τὰς κληματίδας ἀφελεῖ καὶ ἀποκόψει
Пре́жде жа́твы, є҆гда̀ соверши́тсѧ цвѣ́тъ, и҆ гре́знъ произы́детъ по цвѣ́тѣ недозрѣ́лъ: и҆ ѿи́метъ гро́здїе ма́лое серпа́ми и҆ ло́зїе ѿи́метъ и҆ посѣче́тъ,
5–6(Verse 5, 6.) For before the harvest it had flowered entirely, and immature perfection had sprouted, and its small branches will be cut with sickles, and whatever has been left behind will be cut off and shaken off. And they will be left with the birds of the mountains and the animals of the earth, and they will have perpetual summer over them, and all the animals of the earth will winter upon it. Because he had said of the south wind, and had sent a cloud of dew before summer and harvest, and had taken produce from the field, he will preserve it in the remains, describing the pride of Egypt and the devastation of its people, and the corpses throughout the province, which will be devoured by the birds. For just as the crops that spring up before maturity quickly perish, and the sprouts that germinate are useless before the proper time of growth comes; so, he says, the Egyptian people are cut down like useless branches with the sickle, and all their offspring will be stripped bare. And lest you think that he is speaking of the vineyard and not of men, he turns the metaphor into historical truth: And they shall be abandoned together to the birds of the mountains and to the beasts of the earth. For birds and beasts do not eat the severed branches of trees, but rather devour corpses. Let us read more fully Ezekiel, where he prophesies against Pharaoh and against Egypt: and all these things we will find written very clearly (Ezek. XXIX). And he says: In perpetual summer, birds shall be above him, and all beasts shall winter upon him; either this signifies a multitude of those who will be slain, or by the same interpretation it shows that he will be laid waste by all nations.
Commentary on Isaiah
Third, where it says, before the harvest, he describes a metaphor of the punishment, namely through the destruction of fruit in the field, and he sets out three things. First, as to the ruin of the fruit which is ruined in the flower, when it begins to flower too quickly, for before the harvest it was all flourishing; similarly, before Egypt had power, it showed the flower of its glory: concerning which it says below: all the glory thereof as the flower of the field (Isa 40:6). It is also ruined in the bud, when the humor from which the fruit ought to arise is not yet ripe: and it shall bud without perfect ripeness; similarly, Egypt presumed beyond the power which it had. It is also ruined in the fruit, when the branches on which the fruit hangs are cut off: cut off, before the maturation of the fruit: he shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower (Job 15:33); substance got in haste shall be diminished (Prov 13:11); the inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing (Prov 20:21).
Second, he sets out removal of the remaining fruit: what is left finished by the Egyptians, by the Assyrians shall be cut away from its own strength, and shaken out from its place by the Chaldeans, below: as if a few olives, that remain, should be shaken out of the olive tree (Isa 24:13).
Note on the words, it shall bud without perfect ripeness (Isa 18:5), that perfection is manifold: first, the perfection of nature: so the heavens and the earth were finished (Gen 2:1); second, of knowledge: can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge? (Job 22:2); third, of grace: perfect charity casts out fear (1 John 4:18); fourth, of glory: but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away (1 Cor 13:10).
Note on the words, its bud, that there is first, the bud of depraved authority: woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning (Eccl 10:16); second, of teaching of error: but these men blaspheme whatever things they know not (Jude 1:10); third, of presumptuous conjecture: God has divided to every one (Rom 12:3); fourth, of present consolation: remember that you didst receive good things in your lifetime (Luke 16:25).
Commentary on Isaiah
And he shall leave [them] together to the birds of the sky, and to the wild beasts of the earth: and the fowls of the sky shall be gathered upon them, and all the beasts of the land shall come upon him.
καὶ καταλείψει ἅμα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς. καὶ συναχθήσεται ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἥξει.
и҆ ѡ҆ста́витъ вкꙋ́пѣ пти́цамъ небє́снымъ и҆ ѕвѣрє́мъ земны̑мъ: и҆ соберꙋ́тсѧ на нѧ̀ пти̑цы небє́сныѧ, и҆ всѝ ѕвѣ́рїе землѝ на́нь прїи́дꙋтъ.
Third, he places the abandonment of the field itself: and they shall be left, like an uncultivated field, which signifies the slaughter of men, after there were many beasts in the land of Egypt: these things says the Lord God, say to every fowl, and to all the birds, and to all the beasts of the field: assemble yourselves, make haste, come together from every side to my victim, which I slay for you, a great victim upon the mountains of Israel: to eat flesh, and drink blood (Ezek 39:17).
Commentary on Isaiah
In that time shall presents be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people afflicted and peeled, and from a people great from henceforth and for ever; a nation hoping and [yet] trodden down, which is in a part of a river of his land, to the place where is the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Sion.
ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀνενεχθήσεται δῶρα Κυρίῳ σαβαὼθ ἐκ λαοῦ τεθλιμμένου καὶ τετιλμένου καὶ ἀπὸ λαοῦ μεγάλου ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον· ἔθνος ἐλπίζον καὶ καταπεπατημένον, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν μέρει ποταμοῦ τῆς χώρας αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου σαβαὼθ ἐπεκλήθη, ὄρος Σιών.
Въ то̀ вре́мѧ принесꙋ́тсѧ да́ры гдⷭ҇ꙋ саваѡ́ѳꙋ ѿ люді́й ѡ҆скорбле́ныхъ и҆ ѿто́рженыхъ и҆ ѿ люді́й вели́кихъ, ѿнн҃ѣ и҆ въ вѣ́чное вре́мѧ: ꙗ҆зы́къ надѣ́ющьсѧ и҆ попра́нъ, и҆́же є҆́сть въ ча́сти рѣчнѣ́й страны̀ своеѧ̀, на мѣ́сто, и҆дѣ́же и҆́мѧ гдⷭ҇а саваѡ́ѳа, на го́рꙋ сїѡ́ню.
(Verse 7) In that time the gift of the Lord of hosts will be brought by the scattered and torn people, by the terrifying people, after whom there was no other: by the waiting people, waiting and trampled, whose rivers they have plundered, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mountain of Zion. After the devastation of Egypt and the destruction of its empire, Israel will no longer trust in the vanity of its shadow, but will return to the Lord and bring its gifts to the mountain of Zion, that is, to His temple, and only pray to Him whose true and eternal protection it is. But this was done under Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and Ezra, and Nehemiah. LXX, because we have said: expecting, expecting, and in Hebrew it is written, hoping, hoping, on the contrary they are interpreted as ἀνέλπιστον, that is, not hoping. And for this reason Eusebius gave occasion for understanding this more about the Gentiles, who have neither hope, nor the Testament of God, nor the Prophets, than about the Jews: because gifts are to be sent afterwards by the Church itself, which is established on the watchtower, and spiritual offerings are to be made.
Commentary on Isaiah
At that time. Here the fruit of the punishment is set out, namely, that the people of the two tribes shall trust in God and shall call on his help with offerings of presents, above: and it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that shall escape of the house of Jacob, shall lean no more upon him that strikes them: but they shall lean upon the Lord the Holy One of Israel (Isa 10:20).
Note on the words, shall a present be brought, that the present is manifold: first, that of fervent love: a secret present quenches anger (Prov 21:14); second, of devout prayer: let my prayer rise as incense in your sight (Ps 140[141]:2); third, of perfect action: I will not receive a gift of your hand (Mal 1:10); fourth, of due oblation: vow and pay to the Lord your God: all you that are round about him bring presents. To him that is terrible (Ps 75:12[76:11]).
Commentary on Isaiah
Woe to you, ye wings of the land of ships, beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.
ΟΥΑΙ γῆς πλοίων πτέρυγες ἐπέκεινα ποταμῶν Αἰθιοπίας,
Го́ре корабє́льнымъ кри́ламъ землѝ, ꙗ҆̀же ѡ҆б̾ ѻ҆нꙋ̀ странꙋ̀ рѣ́къ є҆ѳїо́пскихъ.